HONG KONG
Jimmy Lai, the 78-year-old pro-democracy media tycoon and prominent critic of Beijing, was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday under Hong Kong’s national security law—a landmark ruling likely to keep him imprisoned for life.
It is one of the highest-profile prosecutions under the sweeping security legislation imposed by Beijing in 2020. The three government-vetted judges found Lai guilty in December of conspiring with foreign forces and publishing seditious articles, charges that carried a possible life sentence.
Given his age, the 20-year term amounts to a life sentence for the founder of the now-shuttered Apple Daily newspaper, which was a vocal platform for democracy activism before authorities forced its closure in 2021.
“Eighteen years of this sentence will run consecutively with his current fraud sentence of five years and nine months,” Judge Esther Toh said in court. Lai’s eight co-defendants—including former Apple Daily staff and activists—received prison terms ranging from just over six years to 10 years.
Lai smiled and waved to supporters upon arriving in court, but departed solemnly as some in the public gallery wept. His lawyer, Robert Pang, declined to comment on whether Lai would appeal.
The verdict solidifies Beijing’s campaign to stifle dissent in Hong Kong, where once-vibrant opposition voices have been largely silenced under the national security law.
By James Kisoo
